Page 94 of Stormy Ride

“So, the stripper would’ve picked him up when the car went over,” said Harlan.

“That’s what I figure too. Bronowski had to be picked up from the bridge. Louise is my pick for that.”

“How did he know the bridge was going to collapse?”

“He didn’t. That was a stroke of luck for him. Pure coincidence.”

“Huh. Too bad we don’t have all the techs they have on CSI. They could find a scrap of evidence to tie it all together.”

“Our county can’t afford a forensic unit, and there’s not enough money in the budget to hire a team from Butte or from Great Falls. Costs way too much money.”

“A lot of women’s clothes in the bedroom closet,” said Harlan.

I went to take a look. “That’s more than a weekend amount of stuff. Definitely looks like Candy Ann moved in with Evan. That says the relationship was more serious than Krystal thought it was.”

“Yeah, he had a motive.”

Harlan was learning. “Let’s go check the welding shop. Might find something out there.”

We trudged out to the big workshop behind the house and the door was locked and padlocked. “Run back to the squad and get the bolt cutters. We’re going to look while we’re here.”

Harlan came back and I showed him how to snap the padlock off. He smiled and seemed to enjoy it. Probably thought about Haley Drayton’s neck while he was doing it.

Took us a while to search through all the crap in the shop. Nothing we could use to convict Bronowski.

“Maybe Billy got something,” said Harlan. “He’ll tell us the good news when we get home.”

“I hope you’re right.” I checked my watch. “We’ve got to hurry. Wyatt’s going to be waiting for us at Katie’s.”

“That the diner with the good pie?”

“That’s the one.”

Katie’s Good Eats. Cut Bank.

Wyatt was waiting for us, but he had already ordered his regular lunch and was eating his turkey club sandwich. I ordered two more for Harlan and I, and two cups of coffee.

“You got more for me on Kala Bronowski’s murder?” asked Wyatt.

“I want to talk about the first wife.”

“Eva,” said Wyatt. “That was her name. Eva Bronowski. Young girl.”

“How long ago was it?” asked Harlan.

“About five years ago. Shortly after Eva disappeared, Evan began seeing Kala.”

“I need you to send everything you’ve got on Eva to Billy’s email. He’s working from home on both wives at once. Be cool if you did a comparison story like they do in true crime.”

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “Fantastic idea, Travis. That would get everybody’s attention. A lot of the citizens in Ethridge knew Eva. She was the kindergarten teacher at Ethridge Elementary, and sadly missed by parents and kids alike.”

“Yep. I like it. It’s getting good already.”

“Can I ask why you’re going this route, Travis?”

“Because I’ve got dick-squat to convict him on Kala so far. I have to prove he was at the Milk Run Bridge and I have no way of doing that.”

“If he was there,” said Wyatt, “and he had to be if Kala was asphyxiated, then someone picked him up. Your best shot would be to roll the girlfriend.”

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